airbag BMW 325I SPORT WAGON 2001 Owners Manual

Contents

9

Passenger safety systems:

Airbags54
Transporting children safely57
Vehicle Memory, Key
Memory61

Driving:

Ignition lock63
Starting the engine63
Switching off the engine65
Parking brake65
Manual transmission66
Sequential manual gearbox
SMG*67
Automatic transmission with
Steptronic*71
Turn signal indicator/Headlamp
flasher74
Washer/wiper system/Rain
sensor*75
Cruise control*77

Everything under control:

Odometer79
Tachometer79
Energy control79
Fuel gauge80
Engine coolant temperature
gauge80
Service interval display81
Check Control81
Clock82
Computer*83

Technology for safety and
driving convenience:

Park Distance Control (PDC)*85
Dynamic Stability Control
(DSC)86
Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) –
325xi88
Hill Descent Control (HDC)*90
Flat Tire Monitor*91
Brake force display92

Lamps:

Parking lamps/Low beams93
Instrument lighting94
High beams/Standing lamps94
Fog lamps*95
Interior lamps95

Controlling the climate for
pleasant driving:

Air conditioning96
Automatic climate control*100

Interior conveniences:

Premium sound system*105
Glove compartment105
Storage compartments106
Cellular phone*107
Ashtray, front*108
Ashtray, rear*108
Socket109

Loading and transporting:

Ski bag*110
Cargo area111
Cargo loading113
Roof-mounted luggage
rack*116

Controls and features

19
Brake warning lamp for Cana-
dian models.
Please fasten safety belts

●

Comes on together with an
acoustic signal until the safety
belts are fastened.
For additional information on safety
belts: refer to page 48
Airbags

●

Please have the system
inspected at your BMW center.
For additional information: refer to
page 54

Orange: consult the nearest BMW
center

Automatic tranmission/sequen-
tial manual gearbox
The respective transmission has
responded to a malfunction by reverting
to operation in its emergency default
program. Please consult the nearest
BMW center.
For additional information: refer to
pages 67, 71

Yellow: check as soon as possible

Engine oil level
If the lamp comes on during
normal vehicle operation: the
engine oil level has fallen to the abso-
lute minimum; refill as soon as possible.
Do not drive more than approx.
30 miles/50 km before refilling.
For additional information: refer to
page 132
Engine oil level
Comes on after the engine has
been switched off: add engine
oil at the earliest opportunity – next time
you stop to refuel.
For additional information: refer to
page 132
Brake pads

●

Have the brake pads checked.
For additional information: refer
to page 122
Flat Tire Monitor

●

The Flat Tire Monitor is malfunc-
tioning or out of order. Please
have the system inspected at your
BMW center.
For additional information: refer to
page 91

Dynamic Stability Control
(DSC)

●

Indicator lamp flashes:
The system is actively regulating drive
torque and braking force.
The indicator lamp stays lit:
DSC has been switched off with the
button; DTC is operational.
Please contact the nearest BMW center
in case of a malfunction.
Additional information beginning on
page 86
325xi:
DSC has been switched off manually or
there is a system malfunction.
ADB-X is operational. If the indidator
lamp fails to go out when you press the
DSC button again, this indicates a sys-
tem malfunction affecting both DSC
and ADB-X.
Please consult the nearest BMW cen-
ter.
For additional information: refer to
page 88

Indicator and warning lamps
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex

44To adjust
Safe seating positionFor driving that is relaxed and less likely
to cause fatigue, you should select a
sitting position that reflects your per-
sonal requirements. In combination
with the safety belts and airbags, the
correct seating position also plays an
important role in enhancing occupant
safety in the event of an accident. To
ensure that the vehicle's safety systems
provide you with optimal protection, we
request that you direct your careful
attention to the following section.
For additional information on transport-
ing children refer to page 57.Sitting safely with airbags
Always maintain an adequate dis-
tance between yourself and the
airbags. Always hold the steering wheel
by the rim to keep any chance of injury
to hands or arms to an absolute mini-
mum should the airbag be deployed.
Never allow any objects, individuals or
animals to obstruct the areas between
passengers and airbags. Never use the
front airbag's cover as a storage tray or
support for objects of any kind. Never
allow front passengers to rest their feet
or legs on the airbag cover.<
For airbag locations and additional
information on airbags, refer to
page 54.Sitting safely with safety beltsYour vehicle offers five sitting positions,
each of which is provided with a safety
belt.Never allow more than one person
to wear a single safety belt. Never
allow infants or small children to ride in
a passenger's lap. Avoid twisting the
belt while routing it firmly across the
hips and shoulder, wear it as snugly
against your body as possible. Do not
allow the belt to rest against hard or
fragile objects. Do not route the belt
across your neck, or run it across sharp
edges. Be sure that the belt does not
become caught or jammed. Avoid
wearing loose or bulky clothing. You
should remember to retension the lap
belt periodically by pulling the shoulder
strap to take up any slack in the mecha-
nism. In the event of a frontal impact, a
loose lap belt could slide over your
hips, leading to abdominal injury. In
addition, the safety belt's restraint
effectiveness is reduced if the belt is
worn loosely. Expectant mothers
should always wear their safety belts,
taking care to position the lap belt
against the lower hips, where it will not
exert pressure against the abdominal
area.<
For information on using the safety
belts, refer to page 48.

48
Head restraintsTo adjustTo adjust height: pull the head restraint
up or push it down.
Press button – see arrow 1 – to
retract to the lowest position.<
To adjust tilt angle of front head
restraints: tilt them to the desired angle.
You can reduce the risk of spinal
injury and whiplash by adjusting
the head restraint to a height at which it
is centered roughly at ear level. of its travel
2. Press button – see arrow 1 – and
remove the head restraint.Installation – frontSlide the head restraint into its guides.
Safety beltsAlways wear your safety beltAlways fasten your safety belt before
starting off. As supplemental restraint
devices, the airbags are designed to
enhance the effectiveness of the safety
belts, and not to replace them.To closeMake sure you hear the lock engage in
the belt buckle.To release1. Press the red button in the buckle
2. Hold the belt
3. Guide belt into its inertia reel.

54Passenger safety systems
Airbags1Front airbags on the driver and pas-
senger sides
2Head airbags for driver and front pas-
senger
3Side airbags on the driver and pas-
senger sides – front and rear*Protective effectThe front airbags supplement the three-
point safety belts by providing addi-
tional protection in the event of a
severe frontal collision in which the pro-
tection afforded by the belts alone may
no longer be sufficient. The head and
side airbags help provide protection in
the event of a collision from the side.
The respective side airbag helps sup-
port the seat occupant's upper body.
For information on the correct sitting
posture, refer to page 44.
The side airbags in the rear pas-
senger area* of your vehicle may
already have been deactivated by a
BMW center. You may have them acti-
vated if you desire to do so. Please
contact your BMW center for additional
information.<
The airbags do not deploy in
response to minor collisions, rear
impacts and certain kinds of vehicle
rollover.<
Do not apply adhesive materials to
the cover panels of the airbags,
cover them or modify them in any other
way. Do not remove the airbag restraint
system. In the event of a malfunction,
deactivation or triggered activation – as
a response to an accident – of the air-
bag restraint system, consult your BMW
center for inspection, repair or disas-
sembly. Do not modify or tamper with
either the wiring or the individual com-
ponents in the airbag system. These
include the upholstered covers on the
steering wheel, instrument panel, side
trim panels of the doors and front roof
pillars and on the sides of the headliner.
Also, do not attempt to remove the
steering wheel. Unprofessional
attempts to service the system could
lead to failure in an emergency or
undesired airbag activation, either of
which could result in personal injury. Do
not touch the individual components
immediately after the system has been
activated, as this could result in per-
sonal injury.<

55
At all times, occupants should sit
upright and be properly restrained
– infants and small children in appropri-
ate child-restraint systems; larger chil-
dren and adults using the safety belts.
Never let an occupant's head rest near
or on a side airbag because the inflating
airbag could cause a serious or fatal
injury. Please note that the word Airbag
imprinted on the door trim panel indi-
cates the airbag's location.
Accident research shows that the saf-
est place for children in an automobile
is in the rear seat. However, a child sit-
ting in the rear seat and not properly
restrained may place his or her head on
or near the airbag, if so equipped. For
example, a child — even though belted
in — may fall asleep with his or her head
against the side airbag. It may be diffi-
cult for a driver to ensure that children
in the rear seat will remain properly
positioned at all times and not place
their heads on or near the side airbag.
Therefore, we recommend that the rear
seat side airbags, if installed in the
vehicle, be deactivated if children will
travel in the rear seat.
The rear seat side airbags may already
have been deactivated by a BMW cen-
ter. If you are uncertain of their status,
or wish to have the airbags activated or
deactivated, please contact your BMW
center.<
Even when all these guidelines are fol-
lowed, there is still a small residual risk
of injuries to the face, hands and arms
occurring from airbag deployment in
isolated instances.
In sensitive individuals, the ignition and
inflation noise may induce a mild hear-
ing loss that is temporary in most
cases.
Corresponding airbag warning labels
are found on both sun visors.This is the right way a child should sit in
a child-restraint when rear side airbags
are provided.
Airbags
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex

56
This is the right way a larger child
should sit wearing the seat belt when
rear side airbags are provided.Indicator lamp
The indicator lamp indicates the
operational status of the airbag
system with the ignition key in
position 1 or higher.
System operational:
>The indicator lamp comes on briefly
when you turn the ignition key to
position 1 or higher.
System malfunction:
>The indicator lamp does not come on
or
>the indicator lamp lights up continu-
ously.
If there is a system malfunction, there is
a risk that the airbags will not be trig-
gered within their normal response
range, even if the level of impact would
normally have triggered them.
Have your BMW center inspect the air-
bag system immediately.
Airbags

58
Before installing any child-
restraint device or child seat,
please read the following:
Never install a rearward-facing child-
restraint system in the front passenger
seat of this vehicle.
Your vehicle is equipped with an airbag
supplemental restraint system for the
front passenger. Because the backrest
on any rearward-facing child-restraint
system – of the kind designed for
infants under 1 year and 20 lbs/9 kg –
would be within the airbag's deploy-
ment range, you should never mount
such a device in the front passenger
seat, since the impact of the airbag
against the child-restraint's backrest
could lead to serious or fatal injuries.
If it is necessary for a child – not an
infant – to ride in the front seat, certain
precautions should be taken. First,
move the passenger seat as far away
from the instrument panel as possible.
This important precaution is intended to
maximize the distance between the air-
bag and the child. Older children
should be tightly secured with a safety
belt after they have outgrown a booster
seat that is appropriate for their age,
height, and weight. Younger children
should be secured in an appropriate
forward-facing child-restraint system
that has first been properly secured
with a safety belt.
Never install a rearward-facing child-
restraint system in the front passenger
seat.
We strongly urge you to carefully read
and comply with the instructions for
installation and use provided by the
child-restraint's manufacturer whenever
you use such a device. Do not attempt
to modify child-restraint systems. If you
do this, the protection provided by
these systems could be impaired.
Be sure that all occupants – of all ages –
remain properly and securely restrained
at all times.<
All rear seating positions in your vehicle
meet the recommendations of
SAEJ1819, an industry-recommended
practice for securing child-restraint sys-
tems in motor vehicles.
Securing child-restraint systemAll of the rear belt retractors and the
front passenger's safety belt can be
locked for mounting and securing child-
restraint systems.
A label with the appropriate instructions
for this is located in the immediate
vicinity of the buckle latch of each
safety belt.To lock the safety beltExtract the entire length of the belt from
the inertia reel mechanism. Allow the
reel to retract the belt somewhat and
engage the buckle, then tighten the belt
against the child-restraint system. The
retraction mechanism is now locked.
Transporting children safely

Everything from A to ZA
ABS Antilock Brake
System 121
indicator lamp 18
Acceleration assistant 70
Accessories, refer to For
your own safety 5
Accident, refer to Emer-
gency call 152
Activated-charcoal filter 104
ADB-X Automatic Differen-
tial Brake, all-wheel 88
Adding brake fluid 135
Additional sources of infor-
mation 4
Air conditioning 96
Air conditioning mode 98
automatic climate
control 102
Air distribution
air conditioning 98
automatic climate
control 102
Air distribution,
individual 102
Air outlets, refer to Ventila-
tion 96, 100
Air pressure, refer to Tire
inflation pressure 25, 124
Air recirculation, refer to
Recirculated-air mode
98, 103Air supply
air conditioning 98
automatic climate
control 102
Air, drying, refer to Air con-
ditioning mode 98, 102
Airbags 54
indicator lamp 18, 56
sitting safely 44
Airing out, refer to Ventila-
tion 96, 100
Alarm system 38
avoiding unintentional
alarms 39
All-season tires, refer to
Winter tires 127
Antifreeze 134
coolant 134
washer fluid 132
Antilock Brake System
(ABS) 121
indicator lamp 18
Anti-theft system 30
Anti-theft warning system,
refer to Alarm system 38
Approved axle loads, refer
to Weights 162
Approved gross weight,
refer to Weights 162
Armrest
front 106
rear 107Artificial leather, refer to the
Caring for your vehicle
brochure
Ashtray
front 108
rear 108
AUC Automatic recircu-
lated-air control 103
AUTO program, refer
to Automatic air distribu-
tion 102
Automatic
air distribution 102
air supply 102
cruise control 77
headlamp control 93
Automatic car wash, refer to
the Caring for your vehicle
brochure
Automatic climate
control 100
Automatic curb monitor 51
Automatic Differential Brake,
all wheel ADB-X 88
Automatic dimming, interior
rearview mirror 53
Automatic recirculated-air
control (AUC) 103Automatic transmission with
Steptronic 71
indicator lamp 19, 73
interlock 63
selector lever lock 71
shiftlock 71
Automatic windshield
washer, refer to Rain sen-
sor 75
Average fuel
consumption 84
Average speed 84
Avoiding unintentional
alarms 39
Axle loads, refer to
Weights 162
B
Backrest, adjusting 46
Backrest, refer to Seat
adjustment 45, 47
Backup lamps 66
bulb replacement 145
Bandages, refer to First-aid
kit 23
Battery 151
charge 151
disposal 151
indicator lamp 18
jump-starting 153
remote control 30, 31
Battery charge current 18

Everything from A to ZFog lamps 95
indicator/warning lamp 20
Folding rear backrest 111
Follow me home lamps 93
Footbrake, refer to General
driving notes 121
Front airbags 54
Front center armrest 106
Front fog lamps 95
indicator lamp 20
Fuel
display 80
quality 25
volume 163
Fuel consumption
display 84
Fuel display, refer to Fuel
gauge 80
Fuel economy, refer to
Energy control 79
Fuel filler door 24
release following an elec-
trical malfunction 24
Fuel gauge 79
Fuel level indicator, refer to
Fuel gauge 80
Fuel mixture preparation 160
Fuel reserve indicator, refer
to Fuel gauge 80
Fuel tank capacity 163
Fuses 151G
Gasoline consumption, refer
to Average fuel consump-
tion 84
Gasoline, refer to Fuel spec-
ifications 25
Gear indicator 69, 73
Gear lever
automatic transmission
with Steptronic 71
sequential manual gear-
box SMG 67
Gearbox
manual transmission 66
Gearshift lever
manual transmission 66
General driving notes 121
Glass sunroof
convenience operation
32, 34
remote control 31, 32
Glass sunroof, electric 41
closing following an elec-
trical malfunction 43
Glove compartment 105
Grills, refer to Ventilation
96, 100
Gross weight, refer to
Weights 162H
Handbrake, refer to Parking
brake 65
Hands-free system 107
Harman Kardon premium
sound system 105
Hazard warning flashers 14
Hazard warning triangle 23
HDC Hill Descent Control 90
Head airbags 54
Head restraints 48
Headlamp cleaning system
cleaning headlamps 76
washer fluid 132, 163
Headlamp control, auto-
matic 93
Headlamp flasher 94
indicator lamp 21
Headlamps
bulb replacement 143
care, refer to the Caring
for your vehicle brochure
Heated mirrors 52
Heated rear window
air conditioning 98
automatic climate
control 103
Heated seats 51
Heating
exterior mirrors 52
rear window 98, 103
seats 51Heating and ventilation
96, 100
Heavy loads, refer to Cargo
loading 114
Height adjustment
seats 45, 47
steering wheel 52
Height, refer to
Dimensions 161
High beams 74, 94
bulb replacement 143
headlamp flasher 94
indicator lamp 21
Hill Descent Control
(HDC) 90
Holder for
beverages 106, 107
litter bag 107
Hood release 129
Horn 14
Hub cap 148
Hydraulic brake assistant,
refer to DBC 121
Hydraulic system
brakes 122
Hydroplaning 121
I
Ice warning 83
Ignition 63
Ignition key 30
positions 63